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DEFINITION OF DISASTER

‘Disaster is a crisis situation that far exceeds the capabilities’.

- Quarentelly, 1985.

‘Disaster’ is defined as a crisis situation causing wide spread damage which far exceeds

our ability to recover. Thus, by definition, there cannot be a perfect ideal system that

prevents damage, because then it would not be a disaster. It has to suffocate our ability to

recover. Only then it can be called as ‘disaster’.

Disasters are not totally discrete events. Their possibility of occurrence, time, place and

severity of the strike can be reasonably and in some cases accurately predicted by

technological and scientific advances. It has been established there is a definite pattern in

their occurrences and hence we can to some extent reduce the impact of damage though

we cannot reduce the extent of damage itself.

Types of Disaster

Disasters are mainly of 2 types,

1. Natural disasters. Example – earthquakes, floods, landslides, etc.

2. Man made disasters. Example – war, bomb blasts, chemical leaks, etc.

The phases of all disasters, be it natural or man made, are the same. The disasters often

differ in quantity of damage caused or in quality of the type of medical consequences. For

example earthquakes cause a lot of physical injury and fractures, floods cause drowning

deaths and infections, chemical leaks cause toxic manifestations, etc.

Business Definition for: Disaster Management

“…the actions taken by an organization in response to unexpected events that are

adversely affecting people or resources and threatening the continued operation of the

organization.”

Disaster management includes:

- the development of disaster recovery plans,( for minimizing the risk of disasters and

for handling them when they do occur,) and the implementation of such plans.

Disaster management usually refers to the management of natural catastrophes such as

fire, flooding, or earthquakes. Related techniques include crisis management,

contingency management, and risk management.

Disaster/emergency management is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks. It

involves preparing for a disaster before it happens, disaster response (e.g. emergency

evacuation, quarantine, mass decontamination, etc.), as well as supporting, and rebuilding

society after natural or human-made disasters have occurred.

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In general, any Emergency management is the continuous process by which all

individuals, groups, and communities manage hazards in an effort to avoid or ameliorate

the impact of disasters resulting from the hazards.

Actions taken depend in part on perceptions of risk of those exposed.

Effective emergency management relies on thorough integration of emergency plans at

all levels of government and non-government involvement. Activities at each level

(individual, group, community) affect the other levels. It is common to place the

responsibility for governmental emergency management with the institutions for civil

defense or within the conventional structure of the emergency services. In the private

sector, emergency management is sometimes referred to as business continuity planning.

Other terms used for disaster management include:

-Emergency Management which has replaced Civil defense, can be seen as a more

general intent to protect the civilian population in times of peace as well as in times of

war.

-Civil Protection is widely used within the European Union and refers to government-

approved systems and resources whose task is to protect the civilian population, primarily

in the event of natural and human-made disasters.

-Crisis Management is the term widely used in EU countries and it emphasizes the

political and security dimension rather than measures to satisfy the immediate needs of

the civilian population.

-Disaster risk reduction An academic trend is towards using the term is growing,

particularly for emergency management in a development management context. This

focuses on the mitigation and preparedness aspects of the emergency cycle (see below).

DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE- GENERAL

Disaster management cycle includes the following stages/ phases

1. Disaster phase

2. Response phase

3. Recovery/ Rehabilitation phase

4. Risk Reduction/ Mitigation phase

5. Preparedness phase

*1Disaster phase – The phase during which the event of the disaster takes place. This

phase is characterized by profound damage to the human society. This damage / loss may

be that of human life, loss of property, loss of environment, loss of health or anything

else. In this phase, the population is taken by profound shock.

1 Not generally considered as phase, but the incident that promotes the actual 4 phases

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Response phase – This is the period that immediately follows the occurrence of the

disaster. In a way, all individuals respond to the disaster, but in their own ways

Recovery phase – When the immediate needs of the population are met, when all

medical help has arrived and people have settled from the hustle – bustle of the event,

they begin to enter the next phase, the recovery phase which is the most significant, in

terms of long term outcome. It is during this time that the victims actually realize the

impact of disaster. It is now that they perceive the meaning of the loss that they have

suffered.

Risk reduction phase – During this phase, the population has returned to predisaster

standards of living. But, they recognize the need for certain measures which may be

needed to reduce the extent or impact of damage during the next similar disaster. For

example, after an earthquake which caused a lot of damages to improperly built

houses, the population begins to rebuild stronger houses and buildings that give away

less easily to earthquakes. Or, in the case of tsunami, to avoid housings very close to

the shore and the development of a ‘green belt’- a thick stretch of trees adjacent to the

coast line in order to reduce the impact of the tsunami waves on the land. This process

of making the impact less severe is called Mitigation.

Preparedness phase – This phase involves the development of awareness among the

population on the general aspects of disaster and on how to behave in the face of a

future disaster. This includes education on warning signs of disasters, methods of safe

and successful evacuation and first aid measures.

It is worth to note that the time period for each phase may depend on the type and

severity of the disaster.

Phases and professional activities

The nature of emergency management is highly dependent on economic and social

conditions local to the emergency, or disaster. Experts have long noted that the cycle of

emergency management must include long-term work on infrastructure, public

awareness, and even human justice issues. This is particularly important in developing

nations.

The process of disaster management involves four phases: mitigation, preparedness,

response, and recovery.

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A graphic Representation of the Four Phases in Disaster Management

1-Mitigation

Mitigation efforts attempt to prevent hazards from developing into disasters altogether, or

to reduce the effects of disasters when they occur. The mitigation phase differs from the

other phases because it focuses on long-term measures for reducing or eliminating risk.

The implementation of mitigation strategies can be considered a part of the recovery

process if applied after a disaster occurs. However, even if applied as part of recovery

efforts, actions that reduce or eliminate risk over time are still considered mitigation

efforts.

Mitigative measures can be structural or non-structural. Structural measures use

technological solutions, like flood levees. Non-structural measures include legislation,

land-use planning (e.g. the designation of nonessential land like parks to be used as flood

zones), and insurance. Mitigation is the most cost-efficient method for reducing the

impact of hazards. However, mitigation is not always suitable and structural mitigation in

particular may have adverse effects on the ecosystem.

A precursor activity to the mitigation is the identification of risks. Physical risk

assessment refers to the process of identifying and evaluating hazards. In risk assessment,

various hazards (e.g. earthquakes, floods, riots) within a certain area are identified. Each

hazard poses a risk to the population within the area assessed. The hazard-specific risk

(Rh) combines both the probability and the level of impact of a specific hazard. The

equation below gives that the hazard times the populations’ vulnerability to that hazard

produce a risk. The higher the risk, the more urgent that the hazard specific

vulnerabilities are targeted by mitigation and preparedness efforts. However, if there is no

vulnerability there will be no risk, e.g. an earthquake occurring in a desert where nobody

lives.

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Components of Risk

Management

(social factors)(natural event)

Risk Factors

• Hazards

– potentially damaging exogenous events whose probable characteristics

and frequency of occurrence can be estimated

• Vulnerability

– intrinsic characteristics of the elements at risk that determine how

damaged they would be if they experienced a hazard event of some level

Dimensions of vulnerability assessment

• Physical vulnerability-analyze impacts of events on assets such as building,

infrastructure, agriculture

• Social Vulnerability- estimate impacts of events on highly vulnerable groups such

as the poor, coping capacity, status institutional structure designed to help coping,

awareness of risk

• Economic vulnerability-potential impacts of hazards on economic assets and

processes (business interruption, secondary effects)

• Environmental vulnerability-Degraded environmental quality limits the natural

resilience to hazard effects and reduces environmental buffering of effects

Elements at risk: examples

• people (communities, countries, the poor)

• infrastructure

• economic activities/assets

• plant/animal species

• environmental services . . .

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2- Preparedness

In the preparedness phase, emergency managers develop plans of action for when the

disaster strikes. Common preparedness measures include the

• communication plans with easily understandable terminology and chain of

command

• development and practice of multi-agency coordination and incident command

• proper maintenance and training of emergency services

• development and exercise of emergency population warning methods combined

with emergency shelters and evacuation plans

• stockpiling, inventory, and maintenance of supplies and equipment

An efficient preparedness measure is an emergency operations center (EOC) combined

with a practiced region-wide doctrine for managing emergencies. Another preparedness

measure is to develop a volunteer response capability among civilian populations. Since,

volunteer response is not as predictable and planable as professional response, volunteers

are most effectively deployed on the periphery of an emergency.

Another aspect of preparedness is casualty prediction, the study of how many deaths or

injuries to expect for a given kind of event. This gives planners an idea of what resources

need to be in place to respond to a particular kind of event.

3- Response

The response phase includes the mobilization of the necessary emergency services and

first responders in the disaster area. This is likely to include a first wave of core

emergency services, such as firefighters, police and ambulance crews. They may be

supported by a number of secondary emergency services, such as specialist rescue teams.

In addition volunteers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the local Red

Cross branch may provide immediate practical assistance, from first aid provision to

providing food and counseling. A well rehearsed emergency plan developed as part of the

preparedness phase enables efficient coordination of rescue efforts. Emergency plan

rehearsal is essential to achieve optimal output with limited resources. In the response

phase, medical assets will be used in accordance with the appropriate triage of the

affected victims.

Where required, search and rescue efforts commence at an early stage. Depending on

injuries sustained by the victim, outside temperature, and victim access to air and water,

the vast majority of those affected by a disaster will die within 72 hours after impact.

Individuals are often compelled to volunteer directly after a disaster. Volunteers can be

both a help and a hindrance to emergency management and other relief agencies.

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4-Recovery

The aim of the recovery phase is to restore the affected area to its previous state. It differs

from the response phase in its focus; recovery efforts are concerned with issues and

decisions that must be made after immediate needs are addressed. Recovery efforts are

primarily concerned with actions that involve rebuilding destroyed property, re-

employment, and the repair of other essential infrastructure. An important aspect of

effective recovery efforts is taking advantage of a ‘window of opportunity’ for the

implementation of mitigative measures that might otherwise be unpopular. Citizens of the

affected area are more likely to accept more mitigative changes when a recent disaster is

in fresh memory.

Phases and personal activities

1- Mitigation

Personal mitigation is mainly about knowing and avoiding unnecessary risks. This

includes an assessment of possible risks to personal/family health and to personal

property.

One example of mitigation would be to avoid buying property that is exposed to hazards,

e.g. in a flood plain, in areas of subsidence or landslides. Homeowners may not be aware

of a property being exposed to a hazard until it strikes. However, specialists can be hired

to conduct risk identification and assessment surveys. Purchase of insurance covering the

most prominent identified risks is a common measure.

Personal structural mitigation in earthquake prone areas includes installation of an

Earthquake Valve to instantly shut off the natural gas supply to a property, seismic

retrofits of property and the securing of items inside a building to enhance household

seismic safety. The latter may include the mounting of furniture, refrigerators, water

heaters and breakables to the walls, and the addition of cabinet latches. In flood prone

areas houses can be built on poles, as in much of southern Asia. In areas prone to

prolonged electricity black-outs installation of a generator would be an example of an

optimal structural mitigation measure. The construction of storm cellars and fallout

shelters are further examples of personal mitigative actions.

Mitigation involves Structural and Non-structural measures taken to limit the impact of

disasters.

Structural Mitigation:-

This involves proper layout of building, particularly to make it resistant to disasters.

Non Structural Mitigation:-

This involves measures taken other than improving the structure of building.

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2-Preparedness

Unlike mitigation activities, which are aimed at preventing a disaster from occurring,

personal preparedness focuses on preparing equipment and procedures for use when a

disaster occurs, i.e. planning. Preparedness measures can take many forms including the

construction of shelters, installation of warning devices, creation of back-up life-line

services (e.g. power, water, sewage), and rehearsing evacuation plans. Two simple

measures can help prepare the individual for sitting out the event or evacuating, as

necessary. For evacuation, a disaster supplies kit may be prepared and for sheltering

purposes a stockpile of supplies may be created. The preparation of a survival kit,

commonly referred to as a "72-hour kit", is often advocated by authorities. These kits

may include food, medicine, flashlights, candles and money.

3-Response

The response phase of an emergency may commence with search and rescue but in all

cases the focus will quickly turn to fulfilling the basic humanitarian needs of the affected

population. This assistance may be provided by national or international agencies and

organisations. Effective coordination of disaster assistance is often crucial, particularly

when many organisations respond and local emergency management agency (LEMA)

capacity has been exceeded by the demand or diminished by the disaster itself.

On a personal level the response can take the shape either of a home confinement or an

evacuation. In a home confinement a family would be prepared to fend for themselves in

their home for many days without any form of outside support. In an evacuation, a family

leaves the area by automobile (or other mode of transportation) taking with them the

maximum amount of supplies they can carry, possibly including a tent for shelter. If

mechanical transportation is not available, evacuation on foot would ideally include

carrying at least three days of supplies and rain-tight bedding, a tarpaulin and a bedroll of

blankets being the minimum.

4-Recovery

The recovery phase starts after the immediate threat to human life has subsided. During

reconstruction it is recommended to consider the location or construction material of the

property.

The most extreme home confinement scenarios include war, famine and severe epidemics

and may last a year or more. Then recovery will take place inside the home. Planners for

these events usually buy bulk foods and appropriate storage and preparation equipment,

and eat the food as part of normal life. A simple balanced diet can be constructed from

vitamin pills, whole-meal wheat, beans, dried milk, corn, and cooking oil. One should

add vegetables, fruits, spices and meats, both prepared and fresh-gardened, when

possible.

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EXTRA READING

CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND RISK MANAGEMENT

Terminology

• Hazard- A potentially damaging physical event, phenomenon and/or human

activity which may cause the loss of life, injury, property damage, social and

economic disruption and environmental degradation

• Vulnerability-Set of conditions and processes resulting from physical, social,

economic, environmental factors (and development decisions) which increase the

susceptibility of community (or project) to the impact of hazards

• Risk-Probability of harmful consequences and expected loss resulting from

interaction between natural or human hazards and vulnerable conditions.

• Physical vulnerability-analyze impacts of events on assets such as building,

infrastructure, agriculture

• Social Vulnerability- estimate impacts of events on highly vulnerable groups

such as the poor, coping capacity, status institutional structure designed to help

coping, awareness of risk

• Economic vulnerability-potential impacts of hazards on economic assets and

processes (business interruption, secondary effects)

• Environmental vulnerability-Degraded environmental quality limits the natural

resilience to hazard effects and reduces environmental buffering of effects

The Cycle of Disaster Management

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What is at risk?

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Possible Socio-Economic Scenarios Needed For Climate Change Impact and

Adaptation Analyses

General Population growth

Economic growth

Adaptation capacity (economic, technological, institutional)

Water resources Water use for agriculture, domestic, industrial

and energy sectors

Land use (for run-off)

Adaptation capacity (economic, technological, institutional)

Coastal zones

Population density

Economic activity and investments

Land use

Agriculture Land use

Water use

Food demand

Atmospheric composition and deposition

Agricultural policies (incl. international trade)

Adaptation capacity (economic, technological, institutional)

Human health Food and water accessibility and quality

Health care (incl. basic)

Demographic structure

Urbanisation

Adaptation capacity (economic, technological, institutional)

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EVENT PREPAREDNESS STATUS

Return period,Duration

Magnitude,Seasonality

Uncertainty

Self protection Income Distribution Generation & allocation(location, building Livelihood surplus

quality Opportunity

Social Protection Social power&control

Hurricanes (Building regulations GENDER Debt criseslevel of scientific Household Environmental degradation

knowledge/use) Security,Nutrition

Flood

Drought

RESILIENCE ETHNICITY STATE

Earthquakes Strength of assets Income,Assets Institutional

Volcanic Discrimination support

Activity Recovery of - Regional

livelihood - Local

Landscape Impacts of previousinterventions Biases, Training

Disease HEALTH Social precaution/

Infrastructure, Individual robustness

Household activities,Access to reliable

potable water, treatment

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hazard Vulnerability Socio-economic National and

Political Economy International Policy

D

I

S

A

S

T

E

R

Hazard Information

Past incidence:Maps, factors

affecting occurrence

What is the expected

degree of loss?

Who, what are

vulnerable

Why?

Site and Feature Characteristics

Specific damage/loss estimate

Physical suite characteristics,

structural strength, content exposure

Element of Concern

Critical facilities, natural resources,

agriculture, population,

development (existing./proposed)

What are the hazards?

What severity?

What return periods?

Formulation of

desired risk

reduction strategy

Risk

Assessment

Hazard

Assessment

Vulnerability

Assessment

Economic Analysis

Of risk reduction

options

Identification of

risk reduction options

From assessment to

managing riskOAS,2003

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Evaluation &

feedback

Public

communication

Response

strategy

Risk analysis

vulnerability

assessment

Disease watch,

alert, warning

Ongoing epidemiological

surveillance &

environmental observations

Climate information

Include forecasts&

projections of change

Steps in a simplified Vulnerability Assessment

Step 1. What? Identifying the event and timescales of variability/change

• Probability, Magnitude, Frequency, Scope, Duration

Step 2. Who? Identifying exposure and capacity to withstand changes

• Proximate: Individuals, groups, communities,

• Quantifying economic-property risks and opportunities

Step 3. Why? Identifying the types and sources of risk

– Complexity and interrelatedness of natural, social, and

development factors

– Why does a particular risk exist? Causal factors: What

happened to make vulnerability high/low?

– Whose decisions and choices are involved? Who is most

affected by the decisions and choices?

Step 4. Where and When? Time and space dimensions

• Dynamic change: Reversible, irreversible, cumulative or

compounding

– Interconnected scales, beneficial outcomes

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QUESTIONS

Note: Answers should not exceed 1 paragraph.

1. Explain the link between Disaster Management and Climate Change.

2. Which of the 4 phases do you consider to be the most important? Support your

answer.

3. Giving examples (from your own country) state situations where Disaster

Management could have been better implemented.

4. In the case of a natural disaster, both government and individuals are responsible

for how citizens are affected. List 3 actions/activities/methods each for both

government and individuals, which can be carried out to mitigate the effects of a

known natural disaster.

5. Using Climate Change as your Hazard: Complete the following matrix.

Behavioral/Incentives

How does the community

view its ability to create

change?

Social/Organizational

What are the relations

and organizations among

people?

Physical/material

What hazards,skills,

productive resources

exist?

CapabilityVulnerabilityResources

Capabilities and vulnerabilities matrix

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Sources:

An Integrated Approach to Disaster Management

http://www.icm.tn.gov.in/article/disaster.htm

BNET Business Dictionary -

http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/Disaster+Management.html

Disaster Management

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_management

PULWARTY NOTES\2007-2008- UWI Cave Hill, CERMES

ENVT 6132 Climate Change Vulnerability and Capacity